I am not getting any power to my radio

"My radio is hooked up but it won't turn on."

This is one of the more common troubleshooting issues we receive in tech support. There are a couple of things to check in order to diagnose whether the problem is with the radio or a problem with the wiring.

  1. Check the fuse that is in the back of the radio, next to the harness connections. Make sure it is good. If it is not good, the fuse likely blew during installation and will need to be replaced. Do not exceed the amp rating of the fuse you are replacing as it will void the warranty of your radio.

  2. Most radios require 3 wire power connection. 1 wire to Hot (B+), 1 wire to Accessory (switched 12V – usually Ignition), and 1 wire to Ground (-). You must have all three wires connected for power. If you have not connected both the B+ and the ACC wire, go back and connect those ends of the power harness.

  3. Check your grounds. It sounds stupid and most people say, “I know, I know my grounds are good.” If you don’t have power, go check your grounds again!

If you have verified that you are using all three wires for power continue reading…

If you have a volt meter:

  1. Touch the red or positive probe to the HOT terminal on the power connection harness. Place the black probe on the ground terminal of the power harness. If you do not get a reading, there is a continuity problem with the wiring. You should get a reading that meets or exceeds 12V.

  2. Insert your key in the ignition and turn the key to the ON position. Next, take the positive probe from the volt meter and place it on the Accessory terminal on the power harness. Take the black probe and touch it to the ground terminal on the power harness. You should get a reading that meets or exceeds 12 volts.

  3. Re-insert the power harness into the radio. Turn the ignition to the ON position and press the left tuner shaft button. The radio should turn on.

  4. If the radio does not turn on, click here for instructions on how to bench test your radio.

If you have a light tester:

  1. Check your grounds.

  2. Connect the ground clamp of the wire tester to a good ground on the vehicle.

  3. Touch the light tester to the B+ or hot terminal on the power wire harness. It should light up. If not, there is a wiring issue.

  4. Insert the key into the ignition. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position. Touch the wire tester to the ACC terminal on the power harness. The light should come on. If it does not, there is a connection issue on the ACC wire.

  5. Re-insert the power harness into the radio. Turn the ignition to the ON position and press the left tuner shaft button. The radio should turn on.

  6. If the radio does not turn on, click here for instructions on how to bench test your radio.

If you do not have any testing tools:

  1. Check your ground.

  2. Check the connections that you made when connecting the power harness.

  3. If you twisted wires together and wrapped them with electrical tape: Remove the electrical tape, drive to the nearest hardware or auto parts store, and purchase some reds, blues, yellows, and a crimper. Re-connect the wires using the terminals and a crimper.

  4. If you crimped terminals to make the connections, lightly pull on the crimped terminals to make sure that the crimp is strong and secure.

  5. Proceed to Bench Test Your Radio.

If you soldered and heat shrunk the connections – Call us at 888-789-7297

These methods fix 99% of the “my radio will not turn on” calls we receive. The other usual suspect is an over-tightened tuner shaft knob. Make sure that you did not over-tighten the left tuner shaft. They are made from pot metal and over-tightening can break them, which will not allow your radio to turn on.

If you have tried all of these methods, you have bench tested your radio, and you still do not get power, give us a call at 888-789-7297 or email info@classiccarstereos.com and we will assist you with getting your product warrantied if it was purchased less than 2 years ago.